Tag Archives: Native Americans

Earlier this afternoon, the US Fish and Wildlife Service approved the killing of two bald eagles by the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming. While bald eagles are no longer listed as an endangered species, it is still illegal to kill them. They are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Act as well as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service website, the Bald and Golden Eagle Act prohibits the taking, transporting, or possessing of bald eagles or any part of their body or nest from any active or inactive nest. It is possible to obtain a permit to transport or kill a bald eagle. If you’re a Native American, you can apply for a permit that allows you to obtain feathers or other parts for religious purposes. The permit granted today is the result of such a request.

Now, if the Native Americans want to kill the bald eagle as part of their religious ceremonies, they have the right to don’t they?. After all, in this country, there is after all a freedom of religion and religious practice. Or is there?

How is it that to the Obama administration, you’re protected by religious freedom if it’s part of your religious practice to kill once endangered birds that also happen to be a national symbol? However, if you’re a religious organization that doesn’t want to provide contraception such as the morning after pill to women because you believe it’s a form of abortion, you’re against women’s health and not entitled to the liberty to practice your religion as you see fit? Rather, you have the president of the United States tell you that you should listen to ‘the voices of reason’ and just do what the government wants because after all, it only has your best interests at heart.

And if the somewhat skewed endorsement towards religious freedom isn’t enough to make you question the current administration, what about the okaying of the killing of an animal that until very recently was on the endangered species list? Isn’t the well being of the environment and ‘sustainable energy policy’ one of the main concerns of the Obama administration? Isn’t that why millions of tax- payer dollars were wasted on green energy pipe dreams like Solyndra? And isn’t that one reason why domestic drilling of oil has come to a virtual halt, because it’s bad for the environment and rare species like the bald eagle?

But, at least the citizens of the United States can sleep easy in knowing President Obama is still relentlessly protecting their right to practice religious liberty- unless of course, you’re a Catholic organization and happen to believe in protecting the rights of the unborn by not using contraception. Then you’re just a bigot. And you hate women. And obviously, in that case, your rights aren’t protected.

Don’t you get tired of thin skinned cry babies? Once again there is a big flap about the offensiveness of a certain Indian mascot. But this time, it is not the Indians, excuse me, Native Americans, who are offended. Instead, the group offended is the NCAA and are demanding the University of Dakota get rid of their 81 year old sports team name, the Fighting Sioux. Here is the bottom line: the majority of the members of the local Sioux tribes view the use of their name as a badge of honor. The NCAA needs to stop telling the Sioux that they are supposed to be offended. Once again, political correctness tries to reign.

Some claim that these Indian names perpetuate myths about their ancient ancestors being hostile, aggressive and warlike. Well, the truth is, a lot of early native American Indians were warlike against the invading palefaces who began claiming the land they had lived on for centuries. The Indians were not warlike without reason.

Mascots are named after certain people groups, animals, or forces of nature for a reason. Cowboys, Vikings, falcons and tornados are all aggressive and destructive. It’s all in keeping with the spirit of fighting, which is a part of competitive sports. Not all Native American Indians are offended, but a thin skinned, liberal minority of politically correct people claim to be offended, and sane thinking people are tired of liberals telling minorities to get offended. If they had their way, high schools, colleges, and professional teams would be known as the Westside Weeping Willows or the Pennsylvania Mighty Oaks or the Davidson Daises or the Washington Redwoods. But then, tree hugging EPA nuts might get offended. Of course we could then turn to lower forms of plant life like the Atlanta Algae or the Kansas City Kernels, until champions for these underclass groups arose for their defense.

In Philadelphia, Mississippi, on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, at the Choctaw High School, the mascot is the “Warriors” illustrated by a picture of an Indian brave. Someone needs to tell the Choctaws they are absolutely politically incorrect and should get with the times. I do not think, however, they would take very kindly to being told they need to become the Choctaw Acorns or Choctaw Chickens or some other non-aggressive, inoffensive name.

Apparently the Choctaws haven’t been approached by the PC Police. If they ever are approached, I hope the Choctaws will use good common sense and tell them to get real. Freedom of choice is important, even if it’s only over the issue of being able to choose a mascot that fits an aggressive athletic team. If people are not free to choose names, the only other option is to join the ranks of the insane and become politically correct.